Ruler.



R. S. PULLEN.

RULER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1915.

1,147,434. Patented July 20, 1915.

5 Fig.2-

i'lllll l lz il yl l Q INVENTOR WITNESSES 0M RODNEYS. PULLEN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RULER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atent-ea July20,1915.

Application filed March 16, 1915. Serial No. 14,690.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RODNEY S. PULLEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Rulers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a ruler with means guided thereon and movable with a pencil, pen or like device for marking lines, whereby a line of predetermined character may be accurately and quickly ruled.

The invention has for a further object to provide a ruler having movable I means thereon serving as a guide forthe mark ng device and adapted to be given an undulating movement whereby a line of sinuous or undulating character may be produced.

It has for a further object to provide a ruler having a plurality of movable elements mounted thereon, each serving as a guide fora marking device and adapted to be moved from one end of the ruler to the other and respectively arranged so that the one is adapted to cause a straight line to be drawn, while the other produces an undulating line.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide a rule of the above character with an anti-slipping means to maintain the ruler in position while in operation. p

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more fully understood from the description hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel construction of ruler as hereinafter more fully'described and defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 represents a top plan of a portion ofthe ruler embodying my invention; Fig.2 represents a bottom view of a portion of the same; Fig. 3 represents a transverse section of the ruler; Fig. 4 represents a sectlon of one portion of the edge of the ruler on an enlarged scale; and Figs. 5 and represent respectively different types oflines which may be made by using the ruler.

1 designates the body portion of the ruler, the same being preferably of wood and provided at two opposite side edges with metal strips 2 and 3 preferably of brass and serving to protect the edges of the rule. In the present instance the edge strips 2 and 8 are each formed of sheet brass bent into a substantially T-shaped form, the central flange 4: of which depends below the lower edge of the body of the rule while the head portions thereof are laterally disposed, one seating within a groove of the edge of the body 1 and the opposite one projecting beyond the side edge of the rule as indicated at 2'and' Inthe'f'o'rm of thedev'ice here shown, the depending portion of the metal 5, also formed of metal and suitably bent to conform to the configuration ofthe metal edge strip upon-which it is seated, and

adapted to slide lengthwise'of the rule. Thisrider-has an outwardly extending top plate 6 formedintegral therewith and having its edge cut away, and beveled as shown at 7, to form a notch or guide pocket in which pen or pencil is adapted to seat in 'the act of ruling the desired line.

The metal edge strip 3 is preferably of corrucontour and likewise provided with the beveled notch: or guide pocket 10, as will be apparent. The two riders 5 and 9 serve as guides for the marking device, theone moving in a straight line from one end of the ruler to the other, while the other has an undulating. movement producing a sinuous line corresponding to that shown in Fig. 6. In the case of the rider 5 itis provided with .a downwardly extending loop portion 13 which fits about the vertical flange, part ,4 of i the guide stripwhereby the rider is held against lateral motion, and said rider is also provided with the lateral grooved portion which receives the edge ofthe guide-strip '2, whereby the said rideris .held against vertical motion. In this'manner' the rider is free to travel longitudinally but is held tion 15 which receives the outer edge of'the guide edge strips 3 and this, as in the case gated form, as shownat 8, and also carries a r1d er9 supported ina similar manner to the rider 5 and also having the same general of the other rider, holds the riderfagain'st vertical'motion. The lower part of the rider 9 is looped as at 16, forming a very wide groove into which the corrugated flange L of the guide'strip extends, This groove is sufficiently wide to permit the rider to recipfingers will enter depressions or ride upon raised portions of the corrugations of the corrugated sinuous surface 4 to give the necessary lateral reciprocations to the rider during the longitudinal movementv thereof. In this manner when the pen is pressed against the rider to hold it against the corrugated surface and then move longitudinally, a sinuous line will be drawn.

In order to prevent the riders from becoming detached from the ruler or overrunning the ends, I have preferred to bend the ends of the metal edges as shown at 11, thus forming stops which limit the movement of the riders.

12 designates a strip of suitable friction or anti-slipping material, such as rubber or the like, which is secured to the bottom of the ruler between the depending flanges 4 of the side edge strips, and in this connection it will be noted that the friction material is of preferably suflicient thickness to extend or project slightly beyond the depending edges so that the device rests entirely upon this anti-slipping material. This material as here shown is longitudinally corrugated to more effectively overcome any tendency of side to side slipping of the ruler when in use.

In the operation of the device, the ruler is placed flat upon the surface to be ruled, and a very slight pressure maintains it in position upon the paper owing to the frictional contact of the material. 12. The pencil, pen or like marking implement, with which the line is to be made, is held against the rider which is to be used, the said imple ment being seated in the notched portion and bearing against the side edge thereof so that as it is moved in the proper direction, the rider readily slides along the metal edge and permits an accurate line to be drawn. The knife edge construction formed by beveling the edges of the notches or openings 7 and 10 aflords a means of preventing capillary attraction of the ink in case a pen is used, and thereby does not interfere with the free flow of the ink to the point of the pen, or cause the ink to be spread upon the device.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a ruler, a body portion provided with metal edge strips at each edge projecting laterally beyond the edges of the ruler and forming depending guide members or flanges extending longitudinally of the body portion of the ruler, riders mounted respectively upon said edge strips and provided with means for receiving a suitable marker, and means between said flange portions forming an anti-slipping device adapted to support the ruler in an operative position.

2. In a ruler, a body portion provided with a metal edge strip at one side having a depending flange portion forming a straight edge, a rider slidably supported upon said metal edge strip and guided by the straight edge flange portion, said rider providing means to receive a marker and adapted to slide from one end of said edge strip to the other whereby said marker proa duces a straight line.

3. In a ruler, a body portion having a metal edge at one side extending longitudinally thereof and provided with a depending flange portion of corrugated form, n

a rider slidably supported by said edge strip and guided by said corrugated flange portion to give lateral reciprocations, said rider having means to receive a marker and adapted to move longitudinally of said ruler i" whereby said marker produces an undulating line.

4. In a ruler, a body portion provided with a metal edge strip at one side having a depending portion forming a straight edge, a rider supported upon said metal edge and guided by the straight edge por tion, said rider providing means to receive a marker and adapted to slide from one end of said edge strip to the other whereby said marker produces a straight line, and means secured to the bottom of the ruler to one side of the depending portion of the edge strip and projecting below the said depending edge to form an anti-slipping 3 device for holding the ruler in operative position.

5. In a ruler, a body portion having a metal edge strip at one side extending longitudinally thereof and provided with a depending flange portion in corrugated form, a rider supported by said edge and guided by said corrugated portion, said rider having means to receive a marker and adapted to move longitudinally of said ruler whereby said marker produces an undulating line, and means securedto the bottom of the ruler and projecting below the depending edge to form an anti-slipping device for holding the ruler in operative position.

6. In a ruler, a body portion having its opposite edges reinforced by metal edge strips, one of which is provided with a corrugated or sinuous guide surface, combined with a separate rider held to each of the guide edge strips and one of said riders having parts adapted to engage the corrugated 0r sinuous surface so as to reciprocate it lat erally during its longitudinal movement, and a supporting means extending down from the lower part of the ruler and slightly below and between the guiding edge strips and their riders, said riders being adapted to support a pen against lateral pressure toward the ruler during the ruling operation.

7. In a ruler, a body portion provided with a metal edge strip having a downwardly extending flange formed with corrugations, combined with a rider guided upon said edge strip and having a longitudinal laterally directed groove which receives the lateral edge of the guide strip to hold the rider against vertical motion but to permit lateral motion thereof, said rider also having an outwardly directed guide for the pen or marker and a depending loop portion loosely engaging the corrugated flange and provided with projections spaced apart so as to simultaneously enter depressions or ride upon raised portions of the corrugations to impart a lateral reciprocation to the rider during its said notch being beveled to form a substantial knife edge bearing for the pen.

' In testimony of which invention, I here unto set my hand.

' RODNEY S. PULLEN. Witnesses:

' R. M. HUNTER,

FLORENCE DEACON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

